Lifestyle

Dry January: These zero-proof drinks are anything but boring

Posted January 11, 2023 5:00 am

Caroline Linden

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The Pineapple Ginger Cooler is a spirit-free sipper available now at Bar Louie. Courtesy of Bar Louie

With the new year often come new resolutions to focus on living healthy. If you feel like you celebrated the holidays maybe a little too much this year and are taking a break from alcohol, you're in luck. Suburban restaurants and bars are paying attention by offering creative nonalcoholic libations for Dry January. Here are some options that we found.

Aboyer

64 Green Bay Road, Winnetka, (847) 441-3100, georgetroisgroup.com/aboyer. Chef Michael Lachowicz is currently offering some spirit-free cocktails, including the Garden Gate (Seedlip Garden 108, blueberry lavender syrup and lemon juice for $12) and the Tangerine Dream (Seedlip Grove 42, tangerine cordial, lemon juice and soda water for $13).

Bar Louie

619 E. Boughton Road #A, Bolingbrook, (331) 246-0500; 17W350 22nd St., Oakbrook Terrace, (630) 478-8040; and 5615 N. Cumberland Ave., Chicago, (773) 332-8029; barlouie.com/menu. Bar Louie is mixing up some new mocktails for Dry January. Try the Island Hopper (orange, guava, passion fruit, sparkling water and lime), Pineapple Ginger Cooler (pineapple, angostura bitters, Fever-Tree Ginger beer and mint) or the Shake-It-Up (freshly shaken brewed iced tea with a choice of mango, strawberry, passion fruit or black cherry puree).

Beatrix

272 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 491-1415, beatrixrestaurants.com/beatrix/oak-brook/. Beatrix serves up nonalcoholic fresh-squeezed juices, including Sweet Valencia orange ($6.95); mango, orange and pineapple nectar ($7.95); Blue Boost (pure blueberry juice, agave and basil for $7.95); guava, strawberry and hibiscus cooler ($7.95); power greens (kale, romaine, celery, pineapple and mint for $8.95); and apple and ginger lemonade ($6.95). Plus, some of Beatrix's cocktails - Attitude Adjustment ($13), Away Message ($14) and Pineapple Habanero Margarita ($14) - can be made zero proof with Lyre's alcohol-free spirits.

Go spirit-free with the Cucumber Cure, which is available for a limited time at City Works and Old Town Pour House. Courtesy of Bottleneck Management

City Works Eatery & Pour House

1850 E. Golf Road, Schaumburg, (847) 584-2500; 365 W. Dundee Road, Wheeling, (847) 941-0990; and 929 N. Milwaukee Ave., Vernon Hills, (847) 984-3571, cityworksrestaurant.com/events/dry-january/.

Old Town Pour House

8 Oak Brook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 601-1440; 1703 Freedom Drive, Naperville, (630) 448-6020; and 1419 N. Wells St., Chicago, (312) 477-2800; oldtownpourhouse.com/events/dry-january/.

Go spirit-free with the limited-time Cucumber Cure (Seedlip Garden 108, simple syrup, lime juice, cucumber slices, mint leaves and ginger beer for $10) and two new Athletic Brewing nonalcoholic beers for $6 each. Try the golden ale-style Athletic Brewing Upside Dawn or the Athletic Brewing Run Wild IPA, which is a blend of five Northwest hops. If you plan on extending Dry January, the restaurants offer year-round mocktails such as the Mellow Mule (cucumber, honey syrup, mango syrup, lime juice and ginger beer), Peaceful Paloma (lime juice, grapefruit juice, honey syrup and soda water with a salt rim) and the Strawberry Soothe (strawberries, lime juice, lemon juice and simple syrup with a splash of lemon-lime soda).

Di Pescara's Italian Orchard is a blend of raspberry, peach, apple and cranberry juices. Courtesy of Lettuce Entertain You

Di Pescara

2124 Northbrook Court, Northbrook, (847) 498-4321, di-pescara.com/. Two mocktails to try include the Italian Orchard with raspberry, peach, apple and cranberry juices and the Bellini Hurricane with peach, orange and pineapple juices. Both run $6.

Michael Jordan's Steak House

1225 W. 22nd St., Oak Brook, (630) 828-2932, michaeljordansteakhouse.com/oak-brook/. Feel like you're on vacation, but spirit-free, with MJ's Piña Colada (Lyre's spiced cane, coconut cream, pineapple juice and lime juice) or MJ'S Daiquiri (Lyre's spiced cane, orange juice, lime juice and orgeat). Both are $10.

Pinstripes

Pinstripes is at 7 Oakbrook Center Mall, Oak Brook, (630) 575-8700; 100 W. Higgins Road, South Barrington, (847) 844-9300; 1150 Willow Road, Northbrook, (847) 480-2323, pinstripes.com/. This January, refresh with two new handcrafted mocktails: the Ginger Rose (Fever Tree ginger beer, Royal Rose organic sour, berry bliss Royal Rose organic blueberry syrup, fresh mint, pineapple juice, orange juice and rosemary with a sugar rim) or the Berry Bliss (Royal Rose organic blueberry syrup, fresh mint, fresh lemon and sparkling water).

Table At Crate

35 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, (630) 590-9444, tableatcrate.com/. Sip on a spirit-free cocktail such as the Passionfruit Coconut Fizz (coconut, sparkling water and coconut rim), Lavender Lemonade (lemonade, lavender, butterfly pea flower tea and sparkling water), Pomegranate Limeade or Hibiscus Lemonade. They're $8 each.

Temperance Beer Co. in Evanston just released its first nonalcoholic brew called Near Tears. Courtesy of Temperance Beer Co.

Temperance Beer Co.

2000 Dempster St., Evanston, (847) 864-1000, temperance.beer/. Now you can have your near beer and drink it, too. Temperance just released its first nonalcoholic brew called Near Tears, which is double dry-hopped with Amarillo and Mosaic hops. Though it's reminiscent of a saison, Near Tears is just 0.3% ABV. It's available on tap only at the brewery.

WhirlyBall

3103 Odyssey Court, Naperville, (630) 932-4800, and 285 Center Drive, Vernon Hills, (847) 918-0800, whirlyball.com/. For those partaking in Dry January, WhirlyBall is now offering the Easy Punch, which consists of pineapple and apple juice, splashes of fresh lime and grenadine that's then garnished with cherries, lime and orange.

In Chicago

Aba

302 N. Green St., Floor 3, Chicago, (773) 645-1400, abarestaurants.com/chicago/. In January, try Aba's zero-proof cocktails: Faux-Loma (Appel's pineapple serrano cordial, lime and Three Cents Greek grapefruit soda), One For The Road (blackberry cardamom cordial, yuzu, lime and soda) and Give Me Life (Lyre's classico sparkling, strawberry, rose and bitters). They're $10 each.

Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!

2024 N. Halsted St., Chicago, (773) 935-5000, cafebabareeba.com/. For Dry January, sip on the Blackberry Lavender Lemonade ($6), Citrus Spritz (Seedlip grove, lavender water, rosemary, basil, orange and Fever Tree cucumber tonic for $12), La Granada (nonalcoholic red sangria made with red grape, pomegranate, cranberry and orange juice for $6), and La Naranja (nonalcoholic white sangria consisting of white grape, grapefruit and orange juice for $6).

Ema

74 W. Illinois St., Chicago, (312) 527-5586, emachicago.com/. Zero-proof cocktails on Ema's menu include the Pomegranate Backsplash (housemade pomegranate grenadine, Fever Tree sparkling lemon and orange) and the Pineapple Ginger Soda (Liquid Alchemist Ginger, pineapple and Fever Tree Yuzu Lime soda). Both are $10 each.

Geja's Cafe's Pomtail is a blend of lime, soda and pomegranate syrup. Courtesy of Geja's Cafe

Geja's Cafe

340 W. Armitage Ave., Chicago, (773) 281-9101, gejascafe.com/. With your fondue, order up a spirit-free cocktail such as Wassail (fresh apple cider, orange juice, cinnamon and ginger syrup and lemon served warm), Pomtail (lime, soda and pomegranate syrup), Peach Sparkler (peach juice, soda, lemon, cinnamon and ginger syrup), Töst (cranberry, ginger and white tea) and Geja's Hot Chocolate (dark Belgian chocolate fondue blended with milk and garnished with whipped cream). They're $7 each.

Hinoki Sushiko

1465 W. Willow St., Chicago, (773)-687-8898, hinokisushiko.com/. This Omakase outpost has some fun with its spirit-free cocktails, including the Forbidden Sour (Forbidden Forest Tea Reduction, orange, cardamom, fresh lemon juice, Aqua Fava and burnt orange), Matcha Mule (Matcha Tea Reduction, fresh lime juice and ginger beer) and Relaxi Taxi (Oolong Tea Reduction, clove, lemon, Mad Tasty Yuzu citrus, CBD Soda and a spicy ginger CBD gummy garnish).

The Matcha Mule is just one zero-proof mocktail available at Hinoki Sushiko. Courtesy of Hinoki Sushiko

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

60 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, (312) 379-5637, joes.net/. Go zero-proof with Joe's Ginger Limeade, a blend of lemon, lime, ginger and Fever Tree soda water, or the Italian Coast, made with grapefruit, lime, luxardo and mint.

LYRA

905 W. Fulton Market, Chicago, (312) 660-7722, lyrarestaurant.com/. Lyra's nonalcoholic Halara blends Amass Zero Proof, pomegranate, lemon, mint and tonic. It's $10.

Osteria Via Stato

620 N. State St., Chicago, (312) 642-8450, osteriaviastato.com/. Sip on one of the $10 mocktails, including the Winter is Orange (blood orange, fresh lemon juice, cucumber and housemade basil simple syrup), the Sparkling Ginger Lemonade (fresh lemon juice, housemade honey simple syrup and ginger) and A Chilling Pickup (La Colombe espresso, housemade brown sugar simple syrup and clove).

Prime & Provisions is mixing up the spirit-free Spiced Grapefruit mocktail. Courtesy of DineAmic Hospitality

Prime & Provisions

222 N. Lasalle Blvd., Chicago, (312) 726-7777, primeandprovisions.com/. The Spiced Grapefruit (made with Seedlip Spice 94, grapefruit, lime and club soda) pairs well with a dry-aged cut. It's $8.

Pizzeria Portofino

317 N. Clark St., Chicago, (312) 900-9018, pizzeriaportofino.com/.

RPM Italian

52 W. Illinois St., Chicago, (312) 222-1888, rpmrestaurants.com/rpm-italian-chicago/.

RPM Seafood

317 N. Clark St., Chicago, (312) 900-9035, rpmrestaurants.com/rpm-seafood-chicago/.

RPM Steak

66 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, (312) 284-4990, rpmrestaurants.com/RPM-steak-Chicago/.

Try refreshers like the Seaside Cooler (Q Tropical ginger beer, calamansi and mint) or the Waitlist (elderflower, rose and lemon).

Ramen-san

59 W. Hubbard St., Chicago, (312) 377-9950; 219 N. Green St., Chicago, (773) 645-0085; 165 E. Huron St., Chicago, (312) 767-4075, ramensan.com/. For a change, consider Ramen-san's new spirit-free mocktails such as the Rose Mallow (rosemary syrup, yuzu, mint and hibiscus ginger beer) or the Thank Yuzu (pineapple, yuzu lemonade and cilantro). They're $9 each.

Summer House

1954 N. Halsted St., Chicago, (773) 634-4100, summerhouserestaurants.com/lincoln-park/. Start off lunch, weekend brunch or dinner with a zero-proof mocktail such as the Pineapple Kick (pineapple, orange and jalapeño), Strawberry Fields (strawberry, sage and lavender) or the Post Water-melone (watermelon, lemon and mint). Each drink is $9.

Three Dots and a Dash

435 N. Clark St. (in the alley), Chicago, (312) 610-4220, threedotschicago.com/. Known for its tropical cocktails, those seeking a nonalcoholic drink can try the Don't Call it a Comeback made with coconut water, Gyokuro Green Tea, local honey and ginger for $18.

Beatrix's Attitude Adjustment can be made zero-proof with Lyre's alcohol-free spirits. Courtesy of Lettuce Entertain You

Make it at home:

Beatrix's Attitude Adjustment Zero-Proof Cocktail

.75 ounce lime juice

.75 ounce Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup

1.5 ounce Lyre's Dry London Non-Alcoholic Gin

2 ounces AVEC Hibiscus-Pomegranate Soda

1 mint bouquet

Add lime juice, ginger syrup, non-alcoholic gin and ice to a shaker. Stir.

Add soda to shaker.

Strain over fresh ice in a Collins glass.

Garnish with a mint bouquet and a straw.

Serves 1

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